MK Dons can enjoy FA Cup clash against Chelsea, says Karl Robinson
Saturday 30 January 2016 10:48, UK
MK Dons manager Karl Robinson insists his side have nothing to lose when they host reigning Premier League champions Chelsea in the FA Cup on Sunday.
The Dons are mired in a Championship relegation dogfight as they sit just two points above the drop zone but Robinson sees the visit of Chelsea as a welcome distraction.
Robinson said: "We understand we'll be climbing a mountain, we understand we're certainly the underdogs, by a long way, but the FA Cup has thrown in a few strange results before, so you just don't know.
"We know if they're at their best, they can beat anybody in the world.
"It's a nice distraction. What it has done for the city of Milton Keynes is it's certainly lifted everybody. It's given everyone something to look forward to.
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"It's a free game, to an extent, and a wonderful experience as well. It's very rare you go into a game just to be able to enjoy it."
Robinson is hoping to see a response from his side after a disappointing performance in their 3-1 loss to Bolton Wanderers last weekend.
"We know we were poor on Saturday, the players know we well and truly underperformed," Robinson said.
"We've got another chance. With a late kick-off on Sunday, we've a little bit more time to prepare and I can assure you we'll need it."
Robinson reckons the Dons, who beat Manchester United in last season's Capital One Cup, are surpassing expectations this season after the departure of Dele Alli and others who had helped them to promotion to the Championship.
"What day did the season finish last year? We knew from that day one, we were going to be in a relegation fight," Robinson said.
"We always knew this year was going to be difficult, but we've overachieved again. This group of players have got a tremendous belief in them and they're overachieving.
"We know we should be rock-bottom of the league, cut adrift by now, by a long way. But we've stuck to our task."
